Le silence est la Réponse
by ThePhantom'strueAngelofMusic
Summary: A modern day fic set in Canada, where I live. Over 100 years after Erik's death, will his spirit finally be able to rest in peace? Not a one shot. Requested by Kurino. Title means "Silence is the Answer". IN PROGRESS
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: This story was requested by Kurino. Characters not mine, I just play with them. Not for profit. The title means Silence is the Answer (not my idea.). Christine's final words imagined. Full disclaimer and explanation in the first chapter.**

Glistening drops fell to the now filthy floor as Erik watched his angel leave him, glancing back at him once with a pitying look etched on her face. Yet she did not know of the damage she had done the genius that lay in emotional ruins in the fifth cellar of the Opera House that had been home to both of them for years now- a home which seemed silent and empty, crumbling as Erik's Angel of Music made her final exit from his lair. It might as well have been in ruins for how welcoming it now felt to the Phantom.

Christine's final words seemed to echo in his mind, haunting him to a degree. The last thing that the Swedish soprano has said to him was that she thought he needed help. Erik needed someone, perhaps someone to care for. Bah, caring for someone? Erik was not capable of that. He was capable of hurt, anger, and agony. -To himself and others-but love was beyond him, he was now sure of that. The abandonment of all who'd had the misfortune to encounter the self named monster had all run from him. Lied about their affection to keep Erik from becoming enraged at them, and possibly killing them. That was not love that was not even respect. That was self preservation.

Christine's words did not seem to make any sense to him. She of all people should know that he was doomed to die alone, unloved, and angry with the world. How could he ever find anyone who would love him, or even be comfortable in his presence? Erik frowned. Why did he need anyone anyway? He had become used to loneliness after his fifty or possibly more years (he did not know of his age. His birth was not a celebrated thing in his home, and he therefore did not know the date of his birth) of life.

The last thoughts that the Opera ghost had as the room around his swayed and black spotted around him, consuming the cellar he had called home for the last years of his life were that he did not need anyone, and never would. Besides, he couldn't care for anyone, could he? Not that anyone would care for him as well...


	2. Chapter 1

_**LONG BUT PLEASE READ**_

**To begin, ****And, I can't forget to give credit for the idea of this story and some plot devices to the lovely Kurino, who requested this story. (Sorry if I didn't spell that right!) **

**Seeing as how my inspiration has been running dry lately, I'm allowing requests for fics. If there is something specific you want me to write, simply review this story or PM me with details for it. I will give the credit to you, of course, and alert you when it is written and posted. I work with the fandoms of Phantom of the Opera (Leroux, musical), Doctor Who (nine, ten, or eleventh Doctors/companions), Supernatural(to the end of the sixth season), X-Files(early on, season 1 or early season 2 because that's all I've seen so far. I'm a rather new fan of It.), or Warriors (the cat books, for clarification. I work with the Original Prophecy (Firestar), The New Prophecy (involving Midnight the badger), Power of Three (Jayfeather, Hollyleaf, and Lionblaze), and early Omen of the Stars (Dovepaw and Ivypaw) up to the book Night Whispers, and Switched at Birth (Bay & Emmet or Daphne &Emmet pairing).**

_**A story cannot contain: **_

_**Lemon**_

_**Slash (female or male)**_

_**Note: I generally write angst or tragedy, as you may already know, but if you like I can do some humour as well. All submissions are only to be written if I deem them acceptable. I will notify you on my decision. And exceptions always exist to any rule. **_

**Sorry this was long. Just thought I'd introduce something a bit new. Let me know if you want me to write you something within those guidelines! **

**Next: Massive Disclaimer for the whole story, however long it is. You may want to just skip this bit.  
**_I do not own anything in this story other then the story idea. All characters belong to Gaston Leroux, and any lyrics I insert do not belong to me, but probably to Andrew Lloyd Webber (who I had a lot more respect for before Love Never Dies and The Phantom of Manhattan.) or a(n) otherwise stated artist(s). This disclaimer goes for the whole story, however long it winds up being. Also, any quotes (recognizable to any who have read Leroux's book) are not mine and belong to the brilliant if now for a while dead Gaston Leroux._

_I write not for profit, but for fun._

**Also, in this, just a thing to keep in mind is that the main character, Saydi, uses ASL (American Sign Language). If it would help you to understand, I know of a sight where you can look up words in sign language, and have been using it myself, so I know that it works well. However, she can hear a little bit, so she still speaks when it's needed.**

**-Happy Whatever**

**_POTOPOTO**

**132 years later, in Canada...**

Saydi allowed a gusty sigh to bubble to her lips, frustration causing an angry expression to form on her features. Not that really meant anything- so many things seemed to anger her these days, all of them stemming from the school that refused to accommodate her more specific needs of being unable to hear, and being unable to switch to a deaf school because it was too far away.

Being deaf had let Saydi realize one major flaw of humanity- they thought that because she didn't speak, and talked with her hands, that she was mentally disabled. No one in the school even tried to talk to her, not even the teachers. They didn't bother trying to provide an interpreter for her either- the poor school couldn't afford to hire one. So she was left with guessing at everything, leaving her a failing mark in most things that she couldn't hope to mend.

Angrily she slammed her book shut, tears starting to form at the corners of her chocolate eyes. Her pale hands stretched from their cramped positions to run through her dark brown hair, carelessly flipping it over to one side of her head and dropping her head onto the hard desk, a thud resounding from it, not that she knew that.

Seconds later she felt a gentle hand resting on her shoulder. Turning quickly, disliking being snuck up on, Saydi found it was her older sister, Alia. She relaxed at once. Alia was the one person that Saydi trusted whole heartedly. Despite the fact that Saydi could no longer hear her sister's voice, she remembered it, and that was a great comfort to her.

Today, however, Saydi found that the world seemed to annoy her beyond recognition. She stupidly waved her arms around, not bothering to sign, and hissed at her sister to leave her alone. Her raspy voice was forced from her throat and even Saydi could hear it a little, which she normally couldn't. Certain noises she could hear, but not everything.

The look that appeared on Alia's face was one of shock and confusion. It was rare that Saydi spoke, let alone became angry with her sister. If anything it just meant that she didn't want Alia around, which was also rare. Alia quickly left the room, not bothering to glance back at Saydi as she scooped up her coat and keys. It was obvious she was leaving for a walk like she always did when something upset her.

Saydi sighed mentally and watched her leave, not trying to stop her. The last thing she need right now was an argument, and her sister needed to calm down anyway. Glancing once more at the textbook in front of her, Saydi collected her things and left for her room, where she promptly dropped her books and flopped on her bed, allowing her chocolaty eyes to slip shut.

POTOPOTOPOTO

As she slowly regained consciousness, Saydi became aware of the reason that we being pulled back into the living world by someone knocking frantically on the door to the small house she shared with Alia. Quickly rubbing her eyes, Saydi stood and took long strides to the wooden door, and flung it open.

POTOPOTOPOTO

**Eek, not so good for a starting chapter, but the next one will be better, I promise!**

**Right. Okay, something that I should probably explain is how I'm doing the ages in this story. I finally read Susan Kay's book, and I found that it said Erik was born in 1831. At the end, Raoul says in 1897 that Erik has been dead for seventeen years. So if we take 1897-17, is equals 1880, which must be the year he died. Then we simply take 1880-1831 to find his age when he died, and we get 49. So based upon the information in Susan Kay's **Phantom, **I found that Erik was about 49 when he died. So I have set this as his age of death for this story. If you want the age of Christine, let me know in a review. I can't give one for Raoul because nowhere does it say when he was born or died. We can assume that he was about the age of Christine, perhaps a year or two older. Also based on this information, we can find that Erik died about 132 years ago (2012-1880=132).**

**If you have any questions about this so far, review me and I'll answer in the next chapter. Sorry this was more me talking than the actual story, but it won't be like that in the next chapter, I promise. Until next time, Happy Whatever **


	3. Chapter 2

**Yay, next chapter. Thanks to Kurino for the request and continuing chapter ideas.**

**Oh, and I also realized that Saydi shouldn't be able to hear the knock on the door, so I'm going to assume that when someone rings the doorbell, a light flickers. And that's what woke Saydi up.**

**See, I said I wouldn't talk as much in this chapter!**

Still rubbing her eyes, Saydi blinked. The bright sunlight streamed in the door and pierced her eyes, making it hard for her to see. Reading lips would be difficult.

It took her a second to realize that it was a police officer that was standing at her door. He appeared to be speaking rapidly, and she couldn't keep up with him. She started to frantically wave her hands around, trying to get the cop's attention so he would stop speaking, but he kept rambling on. Finally she used the one power she knew would stop him- her voice.  
"Stop it! I can't hear you." She cried. The cop shuddered slightly at the noise. Perhaps she was louder then she had intended to be- after all, she wasn't sure what volume she was speaking at.

Her voice wasn't exactly clear- it was clear enough that people could understand her (although depending on the words, they might have to listen a little harder), but she had been deaf from an early enough age that people were able to tell that she was deaf, or at least that something was different.

The cop finally stopped talking and instead stared stupidly at Saydi. It gave Saydi enough of a time window to start rapidly signing to make sure that he got the point. In reality all she had been saying was, "I'm sorry, but I'm deaf and I can't understand you. You need to get an interpreter or someone else who can sign, or I won't know what you're saying."

The cop, instead of calling for someone as Saydi had hoped, pulled out a pad of paper and a pen, and began to write. When he at last held up the paper, an inky message was scrawled out reading "Your sister, Alia. Hit by car. You need to come with me to the hospital. Critical condition."

Saydi quickly stepped out, not bothering to stop and grab a coat. She would have gone without shoes, but fortunately she was already wearing them.

The drive to the hospital was deathly silent. The police in the front of the car seemed to be uncomfortable, but they made no attempt to communicate with Saydi, who was sitting in the back seat waiting, tightly gripping the seat. What if her sister was going to die? The last thing that she had done was try to get rid of her. Saydi could never forgive herself if her sister died, because she was the one that made her leave the house in the first place. Wouldn't it be her fault?

When they finally reached the hospital, an interpreter was awaiting them, but Saydi only stayed with him long enough to find out where Alia was. After that told him that she was going to the bathroom, and instead went to where Alia was. She didn't want to have someone following her around that would know what she was saying to her sister- Saydi would rather have just been on her own. If she hadn't been deaf, no one would be near her when she went to the hospital.

Seeing Alia lying motionless on a plain white hospital, tubes and wire forming a small maze around her drove home the idea that this could possibly be the end of Alia's short life. What made it worse was that if her sister did die, then she would never know how sorry Saydi was for everything. Event things she had done to her as a small child- stepping on her toes, pushing her off the swing- came crashing down on her as she watched her only family struggle to breath.

The tears began to fall from her eyes, making her vision blur. Saydi was used to being alone. No friends, no one to trust, no one for her to love and no one to love her, no one to trust. But no family was a new one, despite how few family members she had. Saydi had never felt so alone.

And she wasn't sure she would ever feel this alone again.

**That's a wrap on chapter 2! I promise that Erik will show up soon- these couple of chapters are all just a set up. Our phavourite phantom will be appearing within the next chapter or two. Review and tell me what you think so far! Feedback is always appreciated.**

_**Story requested by Kurino.**_

_**For details on how you can request a story, look at the first chapter (not the prologue.) **_

**-Happy Whatever**


	4. Authoress Note

Hi guys. I'm sorry that this isn't actually a chapter, after so long. This story has had to be postponed for certain reasons, and I don't know how long it will be. I may eventually wind up just deleting it. If you want me to do a story for you, just PM me. All the details are on my profile. AND THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO EVERY RULE.

Thank you all so much for being patient. And I am sorry that at this time I cannot continue this story. Always feel free to message me or ask me to do a story or beta reading.


	5. Chapter 3

**I swear I have a good reason for being away this long. And it might involve being grounded for a couple of months. And I might have accidentally thrown away some dishes while cleaning my room. Well, okay, not really a might. That's actually what happened. Let me tell you, did I miss writing! I have loads of things to do for my writing, but this is my first priority, so don't worry. At least one chapter a week is my hopeful rate for this story's updates. Of course, knowing me, things are bound to get in the way. Things like my theatre group, homework, illness, etc, but I promise you guys that I will do my absolute best.**

**To Canadian Phan, this story is set in Edmonton. It's nice to know someone else living in Canada likes Phantom of the Opera. It's set in Canada, because I don't know modern day Paris, but I do know modern day Canada, because that's where I live. **

**On with the chapter!**

Saydi had always known that she could never properly fit into society. The perfect human image didn't include deafness or the generally hesitancy to speak because of it. Nor did her family situation, which was now nearly nonexistent. Even though the government might take pity on her, there was no way that she could live the way she did before- in reasonable comfort and in no need of aid from the government. The one thought on her mind was how long she could really keep anyone from finding out. It wasn't really much of a possibility, but it was a hope, right?

****  
In the following night, Saydi dreams were plagued with images of the future. Pictures flashed before her- living on the streets, being put into foster care, being forgotten, or being kidnapped while she lived on the streets. Awaking with a cold sweat lining her pillow and forehead, Saydi realized that there was no way to hide this. She would have to leave. But where could she possibly go without someone finding out where she was?

**Erik**

So long had passed, and yet he had not found peace. Bah, why did he think he would have peace? Erik is a monster, and monsters do not receive peace- nor does he deserve it for what he had done to his love. Where is she now-dead, perhaps? He supposed it was fitting that she receives the same atonement that Erik cannot. No one ever could save Erik. Alone, unloved, and wandering, even in death.

In the death that he now faced, Erik found that he was still...solid. Touch was not a missing sense. This also allowed for a sense of pain, something that he wished had been lost along with his life. Though he was still a physical being, Erik had stuck to the shadows as the decades crawled by him. It was his nature to blend in, and those who did see him were much less accepting of him. Who would want to speak to him, a man in a mask and clothing from the late 1800's?

Erik had long ago been resigned to the fact that he was going to be living the rest of his miserable existence alone, but to be forced to live out a pointless life for the rest of time? Surely there was some cruel force at work.

People and days passed, all with Erik waiting for his pitiful half-life to end at last. After all, who would ever take notice of a man in a dark alley?

**Saydi**

Running swiftly along, Saydi replayed the news in her head, the few words that had changed her life forever. Before, leaving was only a though; now, it was all she could do.  
_We're so sorry, but your sister didn't make it._  
Saydi hadn't stayed around to ask for help from anyone. As far as she knew, her sister was still laying in the morgue, breathless for the rest of eternity. Never to see her baby sister again.

Tears burning at the corners of her eyes, Saydi turned down a random alley. She couldn't keep running with a large bag full of clothing whilst crying heavily without attracting some form of attention, and she knew it. And being seen was the last thing that she wanted if she was to leave the city by tomorrow. She could never go back.

Shutting her eyes against the dusty air, Saydi had no idea that she was about to run into someone.

**Welp, that was a long wait, wasn't it? I have finals this month, but the wait for the next chapter may be a while. Not as long as last time, I promise. And I am so sorry- I promised myself I wouldn't become one of the authors that abandon stories after time.**


	6. Chapter 4

There were few moments in her life when Saydi had felt truly terrified. When she found out her sister was in the hospital and again when she discovered her sister was dead held the top of her list at a staggering height. This particular moment could possibly end up near the top.

There was little Saydi could do when faced with this man. At least, she thought it was a man-he seemed to be a little more then that. Deep, sunken eyes gave the affect that there was nothing more that burning amber irises that stared into her face with interest. He seemed to be drinking in her appearance, so vastly different from his own.

What little skin could be seen of him was a sickly yellow hue. The rest of his body was covered with black-from an old, tailored suit that seemed straight out of the last couple centuries to the tall well-worn top hat that abided upon his head. Though the top hat covers most of his head, Saydi could see stray strands of hair that lay limply at the sides of his face, long and unkempt.

Over his long, gaunt face was a mask. Black as the rest of his clothing, it stretched from the tip of his chin to the bottom of his hat. Small holes allowed for the tiny pupils to see the world around him. Along the edge of the covering garment was a thin slit that exposed pursed lips, twitched upwards in the left corner. Was he smirking at her?

To match the unique and somewhat terrifying outfit that encased this man was his immense height. Standing at what Saydi estimated to be roughly six foot four, maybe taller. He appeared to be even more towering due to his extreme thinness. He looked as though he'd not eaten in months.

A soft, melodic voice glided through the air, though Saydi heard non of it. She frowned at him, and quickly pointed to her ears. The man seemed lost. Speaking quickly, Saydi decided to explain.

"I'm deaf. If you speak again, I can try to read your lips. But you need to speak slower, okay?" her voice clawed from her throat, her words hesitating every time she made a noise.

Opposite her, the man gaped for half a second before apparently thinking better of his actions. Slowly, his thin lips formed familiar shapes that Saydi could read.

"I apologize, miss. I was in your way. I will be going now." with that, the man left, his deep ebony cloak billowing behind him.

Saydi glanced behind her, in the direction that this man had gone. There was something that drew her to him-he seemed non threatening to her. It was almost as though he gave off a vibe of being kind, yet threatening.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Saydi slid to the ground, using the cold stone wall at her back to support her. She'd need somewhere to sleep, and it couldn't be in the alley. Not when it was so cold out at night, and looking like the sky wanted to split open. She'd have to fine another way.

**Saydi's having a rough time, I think. Would any of us not be terrified if we met Erik? I know I would. As much as we love him, he's flipping terrifying, and he would not stop to kill us if he needed to.**

**The next chapter will be up soon, so until then my lovely readers. **


	7. Chapter 5

After wandering the street of Edmonton for hours after dark, the snow had started falling and the ice had begun to form over Saydi's hair. She knew that she couldn't go much farther before she found a place. Then again, what would be the problem with jut letting the cold take her? Fall asleep, have a peaceful death, and perhaps she could just leave this nightmare of a life dealt to her.

Saydi slipped her feet out from under her and dropped to the ground, curling her feet under her. Any other time, she might have pulled her sweater around her tighter, but in this instance she took it off and threw it into the snow bank. It would make her death quicker. Against every instinct, Saydi slid her eyelids shut and waited for the night and the cold to take her.

**Erik**

So long had passed since anyone had taken notice of him. It had led Erik to wonder if he wasn't invisible to the general population, but he had conducted experiments every ten years to ensure he still held a solid shape. It had been twenty years since the last time he had done that- after all, what was the point when it seemed that the human race hated him just as much as it had when he was in his proper time?

At least, most of the human race. The girl, the deaf one had seemed unafraid of him or his appearance.

_Only because she doesn't know what you've done or what you look like. _A small sabotaging whisper in the back of Erik's mind chimed in on his internal debate. But it could be that she would be the one person that wouldn't fear him? Wouldn't see him as a monster to be killed?

_So what if she is? She can't hear. She'll never be able to relate to you, to music. She won't understand, just like the rest of the world, besides the fact that __**you**__ are a monster, Erik. And you always will be. Why bother with humans now? _

Self loathing plagued Erik as he toyed with the idea of going to find her again. What would be the point? Everyone hated him in life.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Erik," he hissed at himself, "you are a monster. You are not worthy of anyone."

Mentally arguing with himself, Erik paid no mind to where he was walking as he wandered down the streets of Edmonton, and no attention to the seemingly sleeping figure before his polished black shoes.

**Well well well...it seems like Erik still has the problem with self hate. Understandable, though. I personally would still like to punch his mother in the face for leaving him to his own devices in his childhood. **

**I know these chapters are all short, but its a short story. So to make it more suspenseful and hopefully better in the long run, the chapters will need to be short so they can cut off at the right breaks. **

**The next one will be up soon, my lovely readers. Internet hugs for reviews :)**


	8. Chapter 6

As Saydi slowly became more aware of her surroundings, she became unsure of whether she should open her eyes or not. The last thing that she had been aware of was a creeping warmth in the bottom of her feet and hands, as though she had stretched them towards a fire. Gratefully, Saydi had them succumbed to the welcoming blackness of unconsciousness, after which she had known would come death-voluntary, in her case. It was possible that she was in a afterlife, but Saydi had never been too big on religion, so her first thought as that someone had saved her.

But who would care about someone like her?

**Erik**

_Will she ever wake?_

_**Why do you care? She'll just leave you after she does. It would be a mercy for her if she doesn't, she wouldn't need to see your hideous face.**_

_Perhaps she will. Erik was never anything more then death on display._

_**Why not leave now? **_

_What if she still needs aid?_

_**She's probably dead. And if she isn't, she'll get help from someone else. You can't help anyone, you can only kill them. Hurt them. You tried to love Christine, but you only hurt her in the end. And you know what that makes you...**_

_...a monster. And monsters don't deserve a chance at happiness, repentance, or atonement._

Erik's darker side of mind was winning his argument on whether or not he should just leave Saydi as she was. It was likely that she would have been able to help herself. Likely that she had family looking for her so they could help her.

_One more thing you can never have. Monsters don't have family. _

Saydi had no need of Erik.

_And you have no right to assume she would ever need __**you **__to do anything for her._

**Saydi**

Still hesitant to open her eyes, yet curious as to where she really was, Saydi slowly inched her eyelids apart and gazed around. It was an unfamiliar setting, and not a comforting one. It seemed like a home, but not of a warm and welcoming person. Black walls shrouded her in darkness, enveloping the area in total blackness if not for the sake of a few dimly burning candles on each of the pitch dark side tables nearby and the watery light streaming from the crystal chandelier over Saydi's head.

The couch that Saydi had been laid upon was not black, but a rich crimson that mimicked the hue of blood. The carpet that was laid carefully on the flooring was a paler shade of red, intended to match the gleaming furniture she was stretched out on. Over her still cold body lay an oriental style blanket, thick and furry to trap heat into the user.

_Who would go so far to save me when I don't know them?_

Curious, Saydi gingerly shifted her legs out from under the soft, beautifully patterned lancet and onto the carpet below. The gentle fuzz softly massaged her soles as she crept along the room, sticking to the walls as if she shouldn't be there. Unbeknownst to her, the carpet fuzz crunched lightly under her feet.

**Huh. Erik went and saved her, against his better judgement. Wonder why that is?maybe he sees something in her. But what?he loved Christine for her singing. Saydi, at best, dislikes using her voice for anything. Why did he help her?**

**The next chapter will be up soon. Until then, my dear lovely readers. Remember, reviews equal Internet hugs or Internet cookies depending on which you want.**


	9. Authoress Note (2)

**Authoress Note**

**Hey guys. So, I won't be able to update because of personal reasons until August. So until then, enjoy what is here and Kurino and I will see you soon.**


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